UGent Aquaculture R&D Consortium

Aquaculture is the worlds fastest growing feed producing sector with an annual growth exceeding 10% for the last 2 decennia. Recently the share of cultured fish in the global seafood production has exceeded 50%. In view of the stagnating (or declining) fishery landings, the importance of aquaculture production is bound to further increase. The aquaculture industry faces tremendous commercial and socio-economic opportunities but also challenges for the sustainable development of this sector.

Aquaculture research at Ghent University dates back to early seventies with research on the brine shrimp Artemia and its crucial role as live food organism in the larval culture of the main cultured marine fish and shellfish. Since the Artemia Reference Center its establishment in 1978, this center has continuously sought to develop multidisciplinary research with various other departments on a wide range of topics such as microbiology, analytical chemistry, pathology, histology, nutritional studies, socio-economic aspects of development cooperation, ecology, food safety and food security.

At present 15 departments from 3 faculties are involved in aquaculture related research, education or development cooperation. This has yielded a long list of joint A1 publications and ongoing or finished PhD studies. This group of research units have grouped into this consortium in order to strenghten mutual objectives.